Ernst Completes Tenth River to River Tour

WASHINGTON – After her final stop over the weekend in Clayton County, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) officially finished her tenth annual River to River Tour – marking a decade of Ernst crisscrossing the state to meet with Iowans from the Mississippi River to the Missouri River.

Ernst addresses constituents at her Harrison County town hall meeting.

“That’s a wrap on another phenomenal River to River Tour across Iowa! Hearing directly from folks in every corner of our state, from farmers and students to small business owners, is a highlight of my job,” said Senator Ernst. “This tour allows me to bring Iowans’ voices, concerns, and challenges to the Senate and work toward commonsense solutions and to ensure our government is of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

Download some of the best photos from Ernst’s 2024 River to River Tour HERE.

Here are some highlights from this year’s River to River Tour:

Championing Agriculture

At agriculture-focused roundtables in Wright, Jones, Warren, and Dubuque Counties, Ernst heard firsthand from farmers and producers about the top issues they’re facing – from the farm economy to how she can deliver real results for Iowa in the upcoming Farm Bill. She stopped by an organic farm in Van Buren County and a unique cover crop operation in Mitchell County. Visits to Webster City Custom Meats in Hamilton County, Green Plains in Page County, a veterinary clinic in Humboldt County, and even the local rodeo in Cherokee County highlighted how the agriculture community reaches beyond the farm in Iowa.

From left to right:

1. Ernst holds a goat at the Cherokee Rodeo.
2. Ernst poses for a group picture with nearly 30 farmers and Iowa agriculture community stakeholders who participated in her roundtable in Wright County.
3. Ernst and Gov. Reynolds engage in conversation at the grand opening of the new Green Plains facility in Shenandoah.  

Fighting for Small Businesses

As the top-ranked Republican on the Senate Small Business Committee, Ernst made it a priority to hear from small business owners across the state, using their feedback to create pro-growth policies and a regulatory system that encourages innovation. She personally presented her Small Business of the Week award to Iowans in 14 different counties at businesses that ranged from a specialty hair salon in Osceola County to a family-owned grocery store in Cedar County. She also hosted roundtables for small business owners and local chamber groups in Polk, Des Moines, Clayton, and Carroll Counties as well as speaking at a women in business event in Crawford County.

From left to right:

1. Ernst poses for a group picture with employees at Hi-Way Products and Hawkeye Fabrication in Ida County after presenting them with her Small Business of the Week award.
2. Ernst inspects a battery component at East Penn Manufacturing in Wayne County.
3. After presenting Tristate Curls owner, Megan Gerken, with her Small Business of the Week award in Osceola County, Ernst chats with her and a salon client.

Advocating for Disaster Relief

When Iowa endured multiple devastating natural disasters in just three months this spring, Ernst didn’t hesitate to put boots on the ground in affected communities, meeting directly with local leaders and emergency response officials to support recovery efforts. She visited Adair and Pottawattamie Counties in the wake of destructive tornados and toured the impacts of flooding in Woodbury, Sioux, Cherokee, and Clay Counties. Ernst also showed her dedication to assisting Iowa communities with long-term recovery, helping mark a major milestone on the path to flood protection in Linn County, and calling for full federal resources to support Iowans.

From left to right:

1. Ernst is briefed on flood damage along the Little Sioux River in Spencer.
2. Ernst meets with local first responders about the tornado damage in Greenfield.

Hearing Directly from Constituents

Ernst made hearing directly from Iowans about the issues that matter most to them a key priority on this year’s River to River Tour by hosting town hall meetings in 15 counties.

From left to right:

1. Ernst listens to a question from the standing-room-only crowd at her Hancock County town hall meeting.
2. Ernst speaks at her Iowa County town hall meeting.
3. Ernst addresses concerns from constituents at her Dickinson County town hall meeting.

Investing in Iowa’s Future Leaders

Ernst visited with students at schools in Grundy, Union, Guthrie, Polk, Poweshiek, Greene, O’Brien, and Buena Vista Counties. She also worked to ensure all students, especially those from rural and farm families, have access to opportunities in higher education by hosting roundtables in Woodbury and Decatur Counties to hear from those impacted by the Department of Education’s botched rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

From left to right:

1. Ernst talks with members of the East Union FFA Chapter in Afton while receiving a tour of their ag classroom and shop.
2. Ernst speaks to students at Greene County High School about her path from Montgomery County to the United States Senate.
3. Ernst leads a roundtable on how students, families, and college officials have been impacted by the botched rollout of the revised FAFSA at Morningside University.

Iowa’s youngest folks and their families remain a priority too – Ernst stopped at child care facilities or programs in Montgomery, Black Hawk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Story, Chickasaw, Floyd, Winneshiek, Mahaska, Jefferson, and Allamakee Counties in addition to hosting a roundtable in Dallas County to address challenges and solutions in rural child care.

From left to right:

1. Ernst plays with a young Iowan at the Cambridge Little Achievers Center in Jefferson County.
2. Ernst poses for a picture with a group of kids and child care providers at Family Resource Child Care Center in Ringgold County.

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